The Dragon Killer
by imaginationflies
Summary: It's been five years since the Green Death was vanquished, and Hiccup's fame has spread across the Northern Hemisphere. A dragon hunter wants him and his supposed talents. He'll do anything to get him. But there's another person who's interested in Hiccup, and there's no hint as to why she wants to know about Berk. (my take on the sequel. No slash. Rating might change)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! As said in the description, this is how I think the sequel will go. Thanks for inspiration inhonoredglory (who understands this story better than anyone!)! Thanks to for the information that I would never be able to get on my own. There are hints about what information fans have gained about the sequel over the past three years. All content belongs to the rightful orders. Hope you enjoy! Please Read and Review!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_This is Berk. _

_It's twelve days north of hopeless and a few degrees south of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the meridian of misery._

_My name's Hiccup. It's been five years since I destroyed the Green Death with the help of my best friend Toothless. Since then, Berk and dragons have made a lifestyle together that is beyond anything that I could've imagined. But I never imagined that meeting just one person, after a normal day, could explode into something that would change my life forever._

* * *

_Whoosh!_

Toothless soared across the ocean, water droplets hammering into his face. Thunderdrums seemed to gallop in the waves in front of them. Toothless and his rider flew playfully between their wings and the ocean, content when they soared to the sky.

The clouds raced past them; it felt as if they weren't moving, just that the wind was pushing the clouds past them. Toothless twirled until he was upside down. He then twirled upward, then freefalling. He let out a delighted cry and smiled. He flipped and banked more, until Hiccup said from his back, "What do you think bud? You want to give this a shot?"

_Not again! _Toothless moaned.

"Toothless! It'll be fine!" Cranks sounded as Hiccup's foot set the appropriate settings. Hiccup took a deep breath. "Ready?"

Toothless roared, secretly thinking, _Don't die, crazy boy._

Hiccup slid off of Toothless's back. He screamed. "Yeah!"

Toothless followed him, ready to catch his best friend if anything went wrong. They fell, side by side.

"Yeah!" Hiccup cheered. Toothless, thrilled, smiled back, his tongue catching the wind.

The ocean came in view. Hiccup pulled a string on his new vest. Hiccup vanished from Toothless's sight, but when Toothless leveled out, there was Hiccup. He was excitedly screaming, ecstatic that his new flight suit was working. The leather wings spread from his suit and to his arms, which were stretched out almost straight. Hiccup quickly pulled another string, and a Night Fury's fin snapped open on his back.

"This is amazing!" Hiccup screamed. He looked back to his friend, who smiled, flying straight because of the setting he had set earlier.

Hiccup laughed, glazing the clouds as they flew across the sky.

He never wanted it to end, but it had to. Toothless flew under him, expecting a response. Hiccup folded in the suit and the tail fin, landed, found his foot's position, and was once again in perfect harmony with Toothless. Berk was in sight. From above the mountain, Hiccup could see the giant red banner suspended on the Great Hall's door.

Hiccup beamed. _The Dragon Games _were a favorite of everyone now. All dragons and all Vikings were welcome to compete.

Hiccup, new flight suit coating him, landed in the Plaza, dismounting Toothless in the same motion. He raced into the smithy while Toothless curled up outside and closed his eyes. Hiccup didn't take off the helmet as he began forging a new gizmo. He was going to upgrade Toothless's tail so that he didn't wobble so much when flying on his own; he had noticed that Toothless's flying was a little shaky.

"Hey stranger," a voice chimed behind him.

Hiccup didn't look up from his work. "Hey, Astrid."

"Where are you underneath that?"

"I'm here."

Astrid took off the helmet. Hiccup's shaggy red-brown hair fell with a swish. His green eyes pierced his work as if the glare alone could finish the job. His jaw line tensed as he secretly bit his tongue, thinking. His freckles were barely noticeable and little drops of sweat fell from his chin and bangs. Astrid knew it now; her man had passed through puberty.

"Can you talk to me for three seconds?" Astrid asked.

Hiccup smirked and left the tail alone. "Sorry."

Astrid laid the helmet down and kissed him for a quick moment. "How did the test flight go?"

Hiccup's eyes lit up immediately. "It was beyond words! Oh wow! Flying beside Toothless! Oh, wow! Astrid, you've got to try it!"

"Make me a flight suit, I just might."

Hiccup nodded. "I'll do that right now!"

"Wait, wait, Hiccup!" Astrid snatched his shoulders and stared into his eyes.

Hiccup stared back. When did they become such a magnificent blue? Astrid's eyes, he meant. Her side braid delicately lay on her shoulder. She had on her white fur vest, preparing for the cold winter that was threatening appearance. She was still taller than him, but only by just a bit. She was smiling at him. He crookedly smiled back, and prayed that he didn't look stupid.

Astrid let go of his shoulders. "So, do you want to go out flying again? Without the flight suits?"

Hiccup shrugged and grimaced. "I really think you should try the flight suit. I'll make you one right now!"

"Astrid!" a hoarse voice demanded.

"Ruffnut?" Astrid exclaimed and whirled around. Her hair was different. Her three braids were pulled back, held together by a leather strap. The three braids swished beneath the strap when she walked. Her helmet hid the top of her head.

"Hiccup, I need to borrow her." Ruffnut grabbed Astrid's shoulder and dragged her out of the forge without getting Hiccup's or Astrid's permission.

"What is it?" Astrid demanded as Ruffnut dragged her away.

"Come on. Inside the stable. That stupid brother of mine has ears that no one knows about."

"What is it?" Astrid growled when they were in the hay loft.

"You've got to help me get that nerd away from me!"

"Who?"

"Hiccup," Ruffnut growled. Then she shouted, "Who do you think? Fishlegs!"

Astrid giggled. "What's wrong?"

"The nerd keeps following me around! He gave a daisy to me yesterday and he had this stupid grin on his face! It's creepy! He's such an idiot!"

"Have you ever considered that he likes you?"

"Why do you think that I don't want him following me around?" Ruffnut shouted.

Astrid kept smiling. "Maybe this is a good thing."

Ruffnut stared blankly at her. "How?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's just good!"

Ruffnut's mouth was a thin line stretched across her face. She glared at her friend, her eyelids half-closed. "If he tries to hold my hand I'm whacking your head off."

Astrid smiled. "Whatever."

* * *

Hiccup walked into his home. He wanted to head straight to his room, but a harsh, "Hiccup!" froze him in his tracks.

"Yeah Dad?" Hiccup cringed. His dad looked angry. His eyes were thin slits.

"Where were you this afternoon?"

"Out flying with Tooth…argh!" Hiccup smacked his head. "Oh! Right! The village meeting!"

"Hiccup, this childishness has to stop!"

"What childishness?" Hiccup snapped. "Look, I'm sorry I missed the meeting, but…"

"This isn't the first time, Hiccup!" Stoick shouted. "You still can't follow the simplest orders!"

"I just got excited with Toothless, Dad! I'm sorry!"

Stoick massaged his head, feeling his hair which was slowly whitening; it was the cause of, no doubt, the constant fathering he still needed to give his twenty year-old son. "This is the third time, son. It's not just the meetings, it's everything else you have to do! You're only responsible with the dragons, nothing else. I let it slide when you were fifteen, even sixteen, but this just isn't acceptable anymore!"

"I'm taking care of the dragons! They need someone to take care of…"

"Son! You can't do whatever you want when you're chief! You have responsibilities which I'm trying to show you!"

Hiccup breathed. "I'll go to the meeting tomorrow. I promise that I won't miss it."

Stoick too breathed. "Alright. But you better be there before I am."

Hiccup nodded, and left the house.


	2. Chapter 2

_Just a note that this story may be irregularly updated. I'm busy and while I know where the story is going, I have no idea how to bind it all together. Sorry 'bout that. Enjoy! Don't forget to review! _

CHAPTER 2

Hiccup escaped to the stables, where the dragons were. Stormfly's last batch of Deadly Nadders nipped at his feet. The new Monstrous Nightmares blew fire at each other, taking after their father, Hookfang. He always felt at home with the dragons. They were his friends when he felt lost.

Toothless gurgled when he appeared behind Hiccup. He nudged his hand, offering that dose of encouragement that he was famous for.

Hiccup smiled and hugged Toothless's neck. "You know when I'm saddest, bud."

_Yeah, I do. Why do you think I'm your best friend, _Toothless said in Dragonese. Hiccup still couldn't understand him, but he still talked. Sometimes, however Hiccup understood him, though roars and gurgles, it was enough to say, _I'm here._

"How do I tell him bud? How do I tell him that I'm not the type of person to be chief? I can't do it."

Toothless purred, nudging Hiccup's face.

Hiccup sat by the fence, where yaks noisily chomped on hay. "How do I tell him that the chief life isn't for me? I want to explore other islands with you. I want to see the world and explore what other people are out there. I…I need to…be free. I can't be stuck on this island forever, I need to leave!"

Toothless licked Hiccup's chin. His rider laughed. "How well do you know me?"

_More than you know._

* * *

The Dragon Games were forming the next morning as many people circled into the arena. They were only waiting for the meeting to end.

Dragons gathered in their separate cages, getting fed and prepped for the game day that everyone looked forward to. Even the dragons.

Ruffnut fed Barf and Belch their fish as they awaited the call for the games to begin. Tuffnut was supposed to be helping her prep them, but a group of hot, bulky Viking girls just a few years younger than them entered the Dragon Academy. Tuffnut wanted to "say hi". Suddenly having a beard made him think he was much manly than he actually was. Now, she had to do the boring, responsible work.

"Ruffnut!"

"What do you want Fishy?"

Fishlegs strode up to her. "Where's Tuffnut?"

"Look at the big group of girls at the entrance. He's the more girly one." She continued throwing the fish in pairs at Barf and Belch.

"It-it-it might be better if you feed them the salmon instead of the cod. The salmon gives them more energy."

Ruffnut blankly looked at him, her expression bored. "Do I look like I care?"

Fishlegs crossed his eyebrows. Five years made him a bit more confident; with a beard and longer hair, he looked a bit more manly (though Ruffnut would never admit it). "No. I just thought it would be a good idea."

"Keep your good ideas to yourself."

Fishlegs rolled his eyes and called for Meatlug as he lightly stepped away.

Ruffnut nervously snuck glances between the fish barrel and the open area. In a quick motion, she switched barrels. She exchanged the cod for the salmon.

"Eat up," she grumpily ordered.

* * *

"And so we will have enough fish for the coming winter. The first snow is coming within the next week or so. Bucket's bucket is just a bit tight. So, we are prepared." Mulch finished his report.

Hiccup was sitting next to his dad. He had to fight to stay awake. Since he couldn't be flying on Toothless now, he took the opportunity and accepted Toothless's wake up call. They flew early, before the sun was even up.

When his dad stood up, he kept sitting. "Thank you, Mulch. The sheep are being sheared and winter clothing is being made by the housewives. If there is no further business, you are dismissed."

Vikings filed out of the Great Hall, eager to mount their dragons and bring home a medal.

"Dad!" Hiccup stopped him when only a few Vikings were left in the Great Hall.

"Son, I'm glad you were here today. See, you don't have to do anything, you just need to be here."

"I know, I know, but…I need to talk to you."

"Oh. Well, what is it?"

Hiccup uncertainly hummed. "Well, it's…about this chief stuff. You and I both know I'm not ready to do this."

Stoick laughed. "Son, you don't have to until I die. You've got lots of time to prepare." Stoick turned around and started to leave.

Hiccup walked with him. "It's not just that. I think that it would be better for me if I went and explored the other islands, you know…just leave Berk and…and…"

Stoick had stopped dead in his tracks. He looked at Hiccup as if he were trapped in a memory. "N-no. That's out of the question."

"Why?" Hiccup chased after his dad.

"It's not a good idea!"

"Getting to know other tribes, alliances, new dragons…Dad this is the best idea I've ever had. You want me to train to be chief, well this is the best way!"

"You're not going to go explore other islands, Hiccup! That's my final word. Now, you have to referee the dragon games. They'll be starting soon. I suggest you get to the Academy."

"Dad, please let me go and…"

"I said that it was my final word!"

Hiccup was left there, in the Great Hall. He stomped his good foot. He was trapped on Berk.

Unknown to him, his father leaned against the statue by the Great Hall's entrance. His son's plea brought back a horrible memory. It was a memory that Hiccup would never understand. Stoick didn't want him to.

* * *

"He just wants to protect you," Gobber said as he pounded the hammer into shape.

"Sure, sure," Hiccup paced around the shop, Toothless dozing by the counter. "He wants to protect the twenty year old man who's ridden a Night Fury for five years and has done countless things without his father's help, coming out alive!"

"You do remember one incident where you lost your foot?"

Hiccup glanced down at the foot he had tweaked over the years. "Aren't I still alive?"

Gobber nodded, his whitening moustache bouncing. "Well, if you are a man, then you can handle this yourself and not worry about it."

Hiccup sighed. "Alright, I will. Come on Toothless."

Toothless drowsily got up and followed Hiccup's footsteps. _Sploosh, klink, sploosh, klink…_

A harsh hiss whipped across the island, accompanying a winter chill. As Hiccup arrived in the arena, children were bundled extra tightly, looking three times their size. Adults, except the tough, arrogant Viking men, were wrapped in thick shawls. The snow hadn't come yet; this was just a warning of its coming.

Stoick stood on a stand and boomed, "Welcome to the fifth annual Dragon Games!"

Vikings cheered. Dragons noticed their masters' excitement and roared with approval.

"The first event is Dragon Combat. All opponents have been assigned. The final fight will take place around noon today. Let the fun begin!"

Hiccup clapped. He would be referring the final battle, unless it was him.

A punch on the shoulder told him who it was. "Astrid, what is it?"

She smiled at him. "I'm fighting Fishlegs."

"He's gotten better over five years, though. He and Meatlug beat Hookfang last year."

"And we're not letting Snotlout forget it!" Astrid giggled. "You want to watch me?"

"Can't. I'm fighting Snotface."

"Snotlout?"

"That's what I said."

She rolled her beautiful eyes. "Remember Thawfest five years ago? How competitive you got?"

Hiccup blushed at the memory. "Yeah, not my proudest moment."

Astrid kissed his cheek. "Beat him without it."

Hiccup smirked. "We'll see."

* * *

"An interesting thing happened this morning," Gobber said.

"What?" Stoick half-mindedly asked.

"Hiccup came by, telling me that you said not to go explore the islands."

"You know why I'm not going to let him do that."

"Oh, I know why," Gobber said, "but the question is when will you tell him?"

Stoick looked up from the spear he was sharpening. "Let's not talk about it."

"Hiccup won't end up like Valhallarama, Stoick."

Stoick threw the spear across the Plaza, and hit Gobber's shop. "He'll end up just like her because my son is exactly like her, Gobber! The spunk, the interest in dragons, the sarcasm, everything! Now Val is gone! She hasn't come back. What was she last doing? Exploring other islands. I'm not going to let Hiccup end up the same way."

"He's got Toothless…"

"Well, neither you, me, or Toothless is going to be able to protect him forever. You told me that yourself once."

Stoick stormed off, calling for Thornado. Gobber shook his head, wondering how things like this could get better.

Behind him, Vikings raced, jeering. Gobber half raced half wobbled to the sight of the commotion, behind a building. He pushed his way through puberty-suffering Viking teenagers to see two adults fighting in the grass. Their dragons nipped at each other, blowing fire, and clawing.

By the species of the dragons, you could tell who was fighting.

Gobber shrieked. "Hiccup! Snotlout!"


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you for all the favorites and follows! I can't believe that people are reading this! Hope you like this! Please review! _

Chapter 3

Right eye closed, Hiccup felt raw meat be squished onto it. He placed his hand on it, holding it in place.

"Dad, you don't need to nurse me! I'm fine!" Hiccup was sitting at the table in his house. The late afternoon atmosphere was tiring him.

"That eye is as black as Toothless' scales!"

"You should see Snotlout's jaw. His beard has a little lump in it."

"This isn't a joke, Hiccup! You were fighting!"

"Five years ago, you would've declared a yearly holiday if I beat Snotlout in a fight!" Hiccup sneered.

Stoick flared. "This isn't five years ago and you are no longer fifteen!"

Hiccup stayed silent while his father rampaged.

"You're going to be chief soon, son! You need to show some respect and discipline."

"I'm more disciplined than Snotlout!"

"We're talking about you! You're still not a man yet! You're still not an adult! Half your days are spent with Toothless! You don't care about the village and its people!"

"I care! Just let me be who I am and let me get out of here!"

"You can't!"

"A chief can still explore!"

"A chief stays where he is and lives his life as an example for the people! You need to make an example for yourself! You need loyal followers!"

"I know!"

"No, you don't!"

"Dad! I told you that this job is not for me!"

"Well, what will it take for it to be for you?"

"I don't know! I just know that I don't want it!"

"You need to want it!"

Hiccup stood up and shouted, "I am sick of having my life be predestined by who you think I should be!"

"You're my son! Your life was predestined from birth!" Stoick bellowed.

"Oh, now that I'm so big and mighty with dragons at my hands there is a chance of me becoming chief! Everyone knew I couldn't be chief before I trained a dragon, but now that I have this great strength, suddenly it's possible!"

"You were always going to be chief!"

"Oh, please! Like everyone knew that was what you thought! Like everyone knew that I would be chief if I didn't have Toothless. As if no one thought that Snotlout would make the better chief!"

"Well, maybe he would!"

Hiccup gritted his teeth, angry. He slammed the meat on the floor and stormed off.

"Yes, go!" Stoick breathed. "Run away like you always do!"

Hiccup halted. He felt anger boil inside of him. "At least I don't hide away from everything in my life because mom disappeared!"

Stoick froze. "You did not say that."

"Think again. I did."

* * *

Hiccup stomped out of the house.

He ran to the forest. He ran past familiar brush and murky swamp water. He raced down a path he knew too well. In moments, he was in his sanctuary. The cove where he found Toothless was his escape. The walls shielded him from the rest of the world, and only one being, a Night Fury, could purge the wall.

Hiccup sat next to the lake, the sunset casting gleams of light onto the highest rock. He lay down across the wet beach. He closed his eyes.

* * *

_A seven year old boy ran up to his mother. She knelt down, kissed both his cheeks. _

"_You be good for your dad, okay?"_

"_Where are you going?"_

"_To see other islands."_

"_Can I come?"_

"_No, it's too dangerous for you."_

"_But I'm a big strong chief!"_

"_I know, but some missions, chiefs can't go on."_

_The little boy sulked, but quickly cheered up. "Love you Mommy."_

"_I love you too sweetie."_

_His mother left him. She sailed away. Dad let him stand on his shoulders and they waited until the ship passed the horizon before they went back to the house._

_A month or so passed. "Dad, when's Mom coming back?"_

_A year passed. "Dad, when's Mom coming back?"_

_Two years. "Dad, when's Mom coming back?"_

_Five years. "Dad, when's Mom coming back?"_

_The boy was fifteen. "Dad, Mom's not coming back, is she?"_

_His father looked at him, saddened, plagued by what could've happened. "I don't know, Hiccup."_

* * *

Hiccup woke up with a start. Was it the dream? He rubbed his eyes and rolled over on his side. He laid his head down, but when he didn't feel his pillow, he was wide awake.

"That's right. I'm in the cove," Hiccup recollected. The moon was in the sky now. A pink, luminescent beam highlighted the west of the sky.

"I need to get home," Hiccup said aloud. "No, I can't. Not now. I'm still mad."

What his dad said to him. It was too much. He did not need to hear that after this day.

"Hiccup!"

Hiccup sat up. "Well, it's a voice that I don't mind hearing."

Astrid landed Stormfly next to the lake. Fishlegs dismounted Meatlug, and an annoyed Toothless with a daring gleam in his eye glared at his master. It said, _Don't you leave me again without at least telling me where you're going!_

Astrid slid off of her dragon. "We've been looking all over for you! What were you doing?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Sleeping. You should try it sometime."

Fishlegs held his lantern at Hiccup's face. "I heard about the fight. You and Snotlout are suspended and you can't ref the final fight."

"Thank you for summing that up."

"What happened to your eye? Did Snotlout punch you?" Fishlegs asked.

"Yeah. Hurt too. Hey, did you talk to Ruffnut like I suggested?"

Astrid snapped, "Don't change the subject!"

"Let me see your eye," Fishlegs insisted, more of a request than an order.

"Fishlegs…"

"Let him see!" Astrid ordered.

Hiccup leaned forward. It was awkward having Fishlegs stare at only his eye, but Fishlegs was the smartest man in the village, even Stoick admitted that.

"It could be damaging to your right eye. It's below your eye, though. So it should be fine."

"Thanks doctor."

Toothless curled up beside Hiccup. He growled, _You jerk. You were upset and you didn't tell me._

"Sorry bud."

Toothless smiled. There were moments when they understood each other.

"Why did you leave your dad like that?" Astrid asked as she sat beside him.

"Fight. I'd rather not talk about it."

Fishlegs stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Does this have anything to do with the fist fight with Snotlout and your coming of age and becoming chief?"

"Ugh! Yes Fishlegs, that's exactly what the fight was about!"

Astrid glared. "Hiccup, we're just trying to help."

Hiccup exhaled. "I know. I'm sorry."

Astrid softened. "Maybe it'll be a good thing for you to be chief. You're a great leader and you always know the right thing to do."

"Most of the time," Hiccup murmured, stroking Toothless's ears. "Can I ask you guys something? Before we trained the dragons, did you think that I would've been chief?"

Both froze.

Fishlegs stammered, "Well, you were the heir."

"Yeah, everyone knew that. That's not what I'm asking."

His friends frowned. Astrid finally admitted, "No, no I didn't."

"Neither did I," Fishlegs mourned.

Hiccup gave a small smile. "Thanks for being honest guys."

Astrid scooted next to him. "But that doesn't mean that you can't be a good chief now."

"Maybe it does." Hiccup patted Toothless's nose as he looked to the moon.

"What does that mean?" Fishlegs exclaimed, soothing Meatlug with a belly rub.

Hiccup forced his glazed eyes to stare at the untouched water. "Snotlout and I were about to fight and we got into a conversation. He started it. We discussed the future, certain positions that we would have. We talked about more things and he soon told me that he would make a better chief that I would."

"He said what?" Astrid gasped, infuriated. "How can he say that? You've got ten times more brains than him!"

"And ten times less muscle!" Hiccup reminded.

"So why are we mad and what are we made at?" Fishlegs asked. "I'm sorry, I'm just losing track of the conversation."

Hiccup sighed. "I'm mad at my dad because he basically said the same thing in our fight."

Astrid's eyes widened, disbelieving Hiccup's statement. "What? You-you can't listen to them!"

"I have to!"

"Why?" Astrid and Fishlegs, possibly Toothless, asked in unison.

Hiccup's eyes wandered to the open, carefree sky. "Because there's a part of me that thinks they're right."

Astrid rubbed his shoulder. "You don't have to listen to them. You're a great leader. You led the Dragon Academy for ages! No one knows about dragon life on Berk like you do! You're the only one who can be chief!"

"Yes, but I don't want to! I want to leave! I want to see the world! That's where my gift is! Curiosity! I-I-I need to think!"

Astrid breathed, "Hiccup…"

"Please, Astrid, Fishlegs, I want to be alone."

Fishlegs nodded. "Okay."

Astrid tried to grab Hiccup's shoulder, but Fishleg's firm hand on her shoulder armor and a "Astrid, let's go," made her relent. She bade Hiccup goodbye with, "If you need anything, let me know. I'll help you."

Hiccup let everything drift away as a Nadder's and Gronckle's wings fluttered away. Toothless stood up and nudged Hiccup's chin. _You okay?_

Hiccup was silent.

_Suit yourself, _Toothless chided.

"Toothless," Hiccup breathed, "I need to get away."


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry it's been a while since I updated. I had a big project to do and I had no idea how to continue this…until now! So, here it is! Please read/review/enjoy! _

Chapter 4

Hiccup slipped quietly into the house. The firelight slipping through the crack of the door told him his dad was still awake. Hiccup paused before the door and exhaled slowly. Bravely, he strode into his house, like nothing was amiss.

His dad was cooking a whole chicken over the fire. Toothless took a deep sniff at it, shook his head, and wobbled to the sleeping Thornado. Toothless curled up beside him, snorted at Hiccup, and laid his head down.

Hiccup immediately climbed the stairs. He climbed them slowly, waiting to see if his dad would stop him from retreating to the sanctum of his room. He didn't. Hiccup made it to his desk, almost disappointed that Stoick didn't stop him.

Guilt knocked on Hiccup's heart. "Should I have thrown that "mom died" card?" Hiccup asked aloud. _She didn't die!_

Hiccup shushed that voice in his head. That voice had continued shouting that same phrase ever since the year after she left. He always hoped that he'd see his mom again. He guessed that the voice was his way of hanging onto the hope that she'd miraculously return. Was that why he had that dream?

He half-heartedly sat at his desk, wondering what brilliant invention would draw itself onto his paper now. Instead, he thought.

He thought of everything. What was a chief? What did you have to do? How were you supposed to balance that life with having a family? Was he cut out to be a father? Was he cut out to be a husband?

"Husband," he murmured. That word alone held a terror and a wonder that somehow balanced. Who would he…marry? It was his choice, he realized. There was only one girl he loved since childhood, but their relationship hadn't been that…deep. Yeah, she kissed him once or twice, but five years of a courtship didn't mean anything? Right? Was he ready to marry Astrid? Was he ready to tell her that he loved her beyond any love he felt before, that he'd die for her, and he wanted to spend his life with her? More importantly, did she want to spend her life with him?

He rested his head on the desktop, wasting time. Life held too much responsibility now that he was officially an adult. He let memories whisk him away to simpler days, the days when he led the Dragon Academy and it was just him and Toothless. He wasn't pressured to be married, to be a chief, to get muscle, to lead people, and to stop riding Toothless. When he was…a kid.

He wanted that freedom again. He couldn't do this.

* * *

Snotlout stared at himself in the back of the frying pan. He honestly had no idea that Hiccup could hit that hard. The bruise was like the size of an apple! When did that little jerk get that strong?

"Oi, a Viking knows when to get hurt!" his father cheered. Somehow, Spitelout had ignored the fact that Snotlout started the fight and that Hiccup actually pinned Snotlout to the ground; he rejoiced that Snotlout had a scar! It was a noteworthy scar too! It was probably permanent!

Spitelout continued rejoicing. "Oh, Snotlout, Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi! Ha ha! Already as an adult, you're a worthy Viking!" He sipped some more ale. "Ale, son?"

"Nah, I've got to meet Tuffnut in the Meade Hall. Younger girls kind of made that their meeting place. I'm hoping one of them likes Monstrous Nightmares."

"They adore battle scars too! Ha, you're going to be a great Viking!" Spitelout again took a drink.

"Yeah, I got to go." Snotlout slipped out the door. Slipping out was easier when he was younger and smaller. He had bulked up, but not much. At least his beard was improving.

A spew of fire slid across the ground, cutting his path. "Hookfang!" he shouted.

The Monstrous Nightmare poked his head out from dark of the stable. He had a pleading look in his eyes.

"Stop whining! You're coming with me!" Hookfang had been the only reason girls looked at him. Even that girl Heather from like, five years ago, had been "interested" in him only because of the dragon. But still, there had to be some macho in Snotlout for her to like him!

Hookfang hid in the darkness.

"Ugh! Stupid dragon! Just come on! I'll give you a basket of trout when I've got a date!"

That drew Hookfang out.

Snotlout climbed on top of Hookfang's neck and started to ride up to the Great Hall, where men and women bustled with their own business on their own minds. The only light in the Plaza was at Gobber's forge. But Gobber wasn't working there.

Hiccup looked at him. He was angry, hurt, but he was definitely more angry than hurt. He returned to his work without a second glance at Snotlout.

Snotlout growled. "Seriously, Hiccup?" he shouted. "What is wrong with you?"

He was silent.

Snotlout growled and leapt off of Hookfang. "Hiccup! Come on! You threw the first punch for a reason! What was it? What did I do?"

"Can't be chief," Hiccup murmured.

"You saying that I can't be chief?"

"Quite the opposite," Hiccup slid the sword into his scabbard. "Be chief! Have a hot girlfriend! Get the glory, the honor, the…power!"

"What are you doing?"

"Goodbye, Snotlout." Hiccup leapt on Toothless and flew into the sky.

Snotlout shook his head, confused. "What are you doing?" he yelled into the sky.

Hiccup didn't answer.

* * *

"He what?" Astrid boomed in the Meade Hall. No one in the Hall paid heed to it; Astrid shouted a lot.

"He left Berk, Astrid. Weren't you listening?" Ruffnut said. She waited for a punch, but Astrid was too distracted to defend herself.

"He just left?" Tuffnut gawked, amazed.

"No last words? No long explanation as usual? Nothing?" Fishlegs asked, less perplexed than Astrid, but more perplexed than he ever had been.

Snotlout raised his hands. "He just left! He said "Goodbye Snotlout" and flew off on Toothless. He had a food bag with him, a sword at his side, and he flew off into the sunset!"

"I can't believe…" Astrid lost her breath. "What did he think he was doing?"

"I asked him the same question! He said something about me becoming chief and he just left!"

Astrid's eyes became like fire. "What did he say exactly?"

"He wanted me to become chief!"

Astrid yelled and pinned him to the floor. "You idiot! He's leaving! His own Dad said that he wouldn't be like a chief! You just told him all the more! He's abandoning the island because he doesn't think he can do it! Do you have any idea just what you've done?"

Snotlout growled, "He admitted it, Astrid. He told it to me before I said it to him."

"What about the fight?"

Snotlout bit his lip, careful about what to say. "That was just about half and half."

Astrid shouted and grabbed Snotlout's shirt, slamming him into the floor. "You mutton-headed-yak! You ruined his destiny!"

Tuffnut hummed, "Uh, what's a destiny?"

"Path in life," Fishlegs answered. "Shouldn't we go find him?"

Ruffnut shrugged. "Brainy, what can we do? The Night Fury's the fastest dragon, you should know that!"

Tuffnut hummed, "Uh, maybe we should go find him anyway. I mean if we do know where he is and the chief doesn't, when the chief finds out Hiccup left and finds out that we didn't tell him when we knew, won't we be in trouble?"

Fishlegs nodded. "That could be a possibility."

"So let's go," Tuffnut encouraged. "Oh! Hey, look! Girls!" Tuffnut raced to the women.

Ruff smashed her head into the beam. "Forgive the lunatic."

Astrid rolled her eyes and got off of Snotlout. "We have to find him!"

"Why?" Snotlout asked. "He's just going to avoid you. He didn't say anything to me about leaving for good when I ran into him."

"You're the last person he'd tell anything to!" Astrid barked.

Fishlegs stepped between the two of them before another fist fight could break out. "Look, Astrid and I will go out and look for Hiccup. We'll get him, we'll come back, and we'll all be much happier when this is over. Okay? Good! Okay, let's go, Astrid!"

Fishlegs grabbed her by the arm and led her away. Astrid surprisingly let him lead her away, but her iron gaze stayed focused on Snotlout.

Snotlout shivered. He noticed Ruffnut next to him, wisely avoiding the situation.

Snotlout gripped the sides of the table. "I didn't think she'd blow up like that!"

Ruffnut groaned. "Men can never figure out when a woman's in love!"

"I know she's in love with Hiccup!"

"I know you do. Hiccup has everything you've ever wanted, doesn't he?"

"What?" Snotlout snapped. "Where did that come from? Since when are you that deep into how people feel?"

"Oh, I hit something, didn't I?" Ruffnut teased. "You knew you had more than Hiccup before he trained the dragons, but now that he's trained the dragons and was the village hero, suddenly the spotlight moved. He's got the girlfriend you wanted, the job you wanted, the attention you wanted; this has been going on for five years and it just makes you sick."

"You've got to be kidding me," Snotlout threatened. "You don't look that deep."

"I've been hiding behind the image of my idiot brother for too long. I'm smarter than most people think."

"Just like I noticed that you've got a crush on Fishlegs," Snotlout sang.

Ruffnut punched him, sending him across the floor.

Snotlout rubbed his head. "Oh. I need to figure out girls. I don't know if she hit me because it was true or if it's because I suggested it."

* * *

Stoick stomped into the forge. "Hiccup!"

Like he suspected, he wasn't here.

In frustration, almost worried that he'd rip the paper in half, he re-read the note he found in Hiccup's room.

_Dad, I know you'll be disappointed in me. But believe me, you'll be even more disappointed if I don't do this. I'm leaving, just to clear my head. It's not you, not anyone, it's me. I can't be chief and I just need to be alone. I'll come back, but you should know, I can't be chief. It's impossible. I know that you want me to, but I really don't think I can. _

_Hiccup_

Stoick threw the note into the fire.

* * *

Hiccup smiled. This was where he was supposed to be. His place was in the sky, flying on Toothless, exploring other places. He felt the wind rush into his face. He and Toothless glided through the sky as if they were one. Yes, this was where he belonged! This was where he was home!

Hiccup opened his eyes for a second. They were beyond any island that they had visited. They were past Outcast Island, Changewing Island, and every other scenic island they discovered. This was uncharted territory. He felt a chill shoot up his spine. He was beyond ecstatic. This was what he was born to be doing.

"Toothless!" he shouted, delighted. "It's an island! A new island! Come on, let's go!"

Toothless growled. _You seriously think this is going to be fun, don't you?_

"Toothless," Hiccup chided. "Come on! It'll be fun! Please! It's night! No one's going to see you, we'll be fine!"

Toothless shrugged it off. He flew to the island.

When they landed, Hiccup slid off the saddle and ran into the forest. Toothless halted, sniffing, suspicious of this new territory. He purred, warning Hiccup, but his rider ran off the beach and paused at the border of the forest. "Wow, I can't believe that…"

A hand gagged him, an arm trapped his body, and he was pulled into the forest. Toothless leapt at him, but ropes attached to rocks wrapped around him. Big Viking men leapt on top of him.

Hiccup struggled, belatedly realizing that the man holding him was a woman. She was talking to him as she bounded him with ropes.

A tough, authoritative, yet feminine, Scottish voice snapped, "Do what this person says. You don't want to challenge him. You want your dragon to live, follow me. I'm Valka. Trust me. I have to go. He's coming."

Before Hiccup could question anything, he was thrown into another grasp, but this one was threatening, gruff, and it scared him.

The voice darkly chuckled.

Hiccup widened his eyes. He scanned for the woman who helped him. He saw a thin figure in a dark cape. It was standing like a woman. The figure was like a woman. It was Valka. Next question: Could Hiccup trust her?

"Who are you?" Hiccup demanded. "Where's Toothless? What do you want with me?"

The one holding him down chuckled. "You're going to help me."

"If I refuse?" Hiccup dared to ask.

He saw the woman gape. Her body posture alone was scared that he said that.

No second later, a knife slipped between her and his eyes. His eyes widened.

"You don't want to see this go into your or your Night Fury, do you?"

Hiccup kept silent.

"I didn't think so."


	5. Chapter 5

_ THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS AND OTHER CHAPTERS IF YOU HAVE NOT FIGURED THAT OUT ALREADY! IF YOU WISH TO WAIT UNTIL JUNE 2014 TO LEARN THE MINOR DETAILS THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED, PLEASE DO SO BECAUSE EVERYTHING I'VE LEARNED IS IN THIS STORY! THANK YOU!_

_2.I'm SO SORRY! It's been a long time since I last updated! I had a bunch of school things crammed into three weeks and couldn't find time to write. Once again, I'm sorry. I hope this chapter was worth the wait, though. Please Read/Review! Reviews make me happy! _

_3.I also need your opinion on something. How would this audience feel if I reintroduced Heather, not as a love interest for Hiccup (NO!), just someone who works behind the scenes and may have a relationship with one of the other boys? I'd like to get your opinion before I did anything, please! Thank you! Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 5

The chains chaffed his wrists. Hiccup was strapped to the wall of a cave, his hands suspended above his head. They had left him here. Obviously, because of the chains in the cave, this was a base or a camp site that they often returned to.

Hiccup still had no idea who these people were. Valka hadn't reappeared yet. No one had. Toothless was nowhere in sight. Hiccup was alone in the cave. Moonlight scattered across the cave floor, peeping through the clouds. The change in the moon's position told Hiccup that he must've been here for maybe an hour. Entertaining himself, he wriggled his fingers, pretending to drum a table, tap a rhythm, something to keep him sane. "Dad's going to kill me," he silently murmured.

Heavy footsteps pounded into the cave. Hiccup braced himself.

It was Valka, not the heavy Viking man he was expecting. Man, this woman reminded him of Astrid.

She kept her hood over her head as she held bread close to his nose, expecting him to eat it.

"It's not poisoned is it?" he asked, sensing her desire.

"That's a lovely way to show gratitude," she backfired.

Hiccup grinned and bit into the bread. "Wait, where's Toothless? Are you feeding him?"

"Yes, we're feeding him," the middle-aged woman shushed. "He's tied up in metal bars and leather straps. He's uncomfortable, but as long as I'm in charge of him, he's safe."

Hiccup could hear the bite in her voice, as if she didn't want the dragons to be hurt, just like he did.

Hiccup finished the half loaf of bread in silence and then asked, "Valka, why are you helping me?"

Valka stood up. "Your dragon is a rare one. A Night Fury."

"Yes, but that information is not new to me," Hiccup snapped.

She grinned slightly, her smile shadowed by the cape. "If you think your victory over that monstrous dragon five years ago didn't spread across the next nine leagues then you are the most uncommonly modest Viking I've met. My leader wants you. He wants to understand dragons as well. He wants to defeat a dragon that he just can't beat."

"Has he tried blowing it up?"

Valka stared at him. "He needs you to do that."

"Why does he need me?"

"I told you. He wants to train dragons."

"Yeah, lady, in my experience, no one _just_ wants to train the dragons. There's usually a higher plan of conquering my island or something."

"We just want that dragon gone," Valka reassured.

Hiccup didn't believe her, deep down he didn't.

"He's going to come for you sooner than later," Valka said. "You better prepare yourself. These men and women are not patient."

"Well, training dragons takes a lot of patience. That's lesson number one."

Valka kept her face monotone. "I know that. They don't."

She left him.

Hiccup rested his head back against the wall. What had seeing one little island gotten himself into?

* * *

"Hiccup!" Astrid, atop Stormfly, shrieked across the ocean. "Hiccup!"

"Astrid, I don't think screaming out a runaway person's name is going to want to make them come back," Fishlegs reasoned, Meatlug's wings humming behind his voice.

Astrid kept her gaze locked on the horizon and moonlit sky, scanning for the unmistakable shape of a Night Fury. "When he hears what I'm going to do to him if he doesn't come back right now, he'll come racing!"

"Why are you so upset about this?"

"He can't run away! He's confused, sad, and angry. These three qualities in Hiccup at the same time equal a disaster."

Fishlegs nodded. "I'm with you there."

Astrid yelled once more. "Hic-cup!"

"Maybe Toothless will come if we do a Night Fury call." Fishlegs cupped his hands around his mouth and sang an eerie roar from his throat. It sped across the ocean. But there was no return cry.

Astrid rolled her eyes and growled. "He's such a…such a…" Astrid changed the subject. "Do you think he'll become chief with this attitude?"

Fishlegs gaped. "What exactly are you asking?"

"He's still a kid! Or he behaves like one! How is he going to become chief if he runs away from his responsibilities?"

"I don't think that's why he ran away though."

Astrid calmed herself. "Maybe. I don't know why he ran away. But regardless, he's got to learn to handle responsibility."

"He has. What about all those years running the Academy?"

Astrid massaged her forehead. "I don't know. He did handle that responsibility and he's a great leader, but have you noticed that when it came to the village he had no idea how to handle it?"

Fishlegs pondered this. "Yeah, you're right. He's more at home with the dragons than with anything else."

Astrid nodded. "That's my point. He's okay having responsibility over the dragons but when it comes to the village, he can't do what needs to be done."

"If you tell him that then you're no better than his dad and Snotlout."

Astrid froze. Fishlegs was right.

She sighed. "I probably shouldn't be so hard on him about that. I guess you're right." Her tone strengthened. "But when we find him I'm going to give him a piece of my mind about scaring me like this!"

"I'm sure you will."

* * *

Valka returned to Hiccup about fifteen minutes later. But she wasn't alone.

Hiccup grimaced when he saw the burly Viking who had ordered his captivity. He darkly chuckled. There was a hint of Alvin in his voice, but it couldn't be. Alvin had died two years ago in a sky battle with him and Toothless.

"Hello, dragon trainer. Hiccup, I need your help." Unlike the chuckle, his voice was smooth and inviting. He sounded just a bit older than Hiccup. Maybe by about five years.

"Valka told me about the situation. Big dragon, I fly on Toothless, we blow it up, both parties are freed, and we all live happily ever after."

The man chuckled mockingly. "Oh, your sense of humor cheers me up. But I do need an instructor on how to train our dragons. We have…failed, I guess you could call it."

Hiccup smirked, snorted almost. "Most everyone does."

"Yes, but you didn't. You trained the most difficult dragon. You can do this for us. We need to learn to train the dragons. In return, I will leave your island of Berk off the "Islands to Conquer" list."

Hiccup realized that now would be a good time to remember his father's advice on negotiating and diplomacy to get what he wanted. He didn't trust either of these people; though Valka was leaning towards the side of trust. "Why should I trust you when you've kidnapped me and my dragon and chained me to this cave wall?"

The man unlocked the chains. Hiccup let his arms droop down to his sides, sighing at the luxurious feeling of his arms being down.

"Alright. Let's become friends. I'm Drago Bloodthirst."

"Wonderful name," Hiccup lied. _He expects me to trust him with a name like that?_

Drago continued. "I'm sorry for the restraints on you and your dragon. We just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't run away."

Hiccup nodded, casting sidelong glances at Valka. She gave him encouraging stares. "We just want this dragon destroyed so it will stop oppressing the island. Hiccup, we need you."

Hiccup nodded. "I'll help you as best I can." That wasn't a complete lie, he reasoned. He wasn't planning on helping them. He couldn't find any reason to trust anyone but Valka, and the jury was still out on her. But he would see what these people were actually planning to do with him…and Toothless.

* * *

Toothless was strapped in this contraption. For how many hours, he had no idea. He hated being trapped. Not just because it made him feel threatened, but the bad humans had taken Hiccup. What were they doing to him? It was the thought in the back of his head that made Toothless stay where he was. That thought said that Hiccup usually had a plan and made it out of these situations before he did. He was going to wait for his best friend. Even though Hiccup's escape plans were often questionable, by some miracle they always worked.

Toothless perked his ears when he heard a distressed voice.

"I really don't know how we're going to do this, though."

It was Hiccup!

_Alright humans. Dragon wants out! _Toothless roared. _Hiccup! Hiccup! I'm here!_

Hiccup smiled the enthralled smile when he saw his best friend. He raced to him. The guards around Toothless disappeared at the woman's command and Hiccup started untying Toothless.

"You okay, bud?"

Toothless hummed, _You're always sentimental when we're surrounded by the enemy? Why is that?_

Hiccup stroked Toothless's snout, which the Night Fury didn't mind.

"Okay, let's set a few ground rules," Hiccup said to the Vikings.

The burly Viking laughed. "I set the rules here. You'll teach us how to train these dragons and I'll let you and your dragon go. Then Berk will be freed from our iron grasp."

"What about other islands?"

The woman stepped in. "My leader will follow whatever rules you see fit, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III." The burly Viking seemed annoyed and temperamental, but it was probably for the sake of gaining Hiccup's trust that he kept Valka's limbs intact. Toothless had immediate distaste for him.

"Thanks Valka." While Hiccup droned on about rules and other stuff, Toothless, for the first time, noticed the woman's scent. It was familiar. It reminded him of…but that was impossible, wasn't it?

Toothless heard the dragons in captivity as well. They were about a mile away. There were Monstrous Nightmares, Gronckles, Nadders, Zipplebacks, Scauldrons, and maybe a few Whispering Deaths. Toothless softly growled, _My rider will get you guys out. We'll get you out of there. I promise._

It was a female Gronckle who answered. _But we're not in danger._

_What?_

_Some lady is helping us. I know her voice, she's right next to you._

Toothless sniffed the lady with the familiar scent. Yes, now he smelled it. It was the scent of numerous dragons which the others did not have; it was like she spent more time among the dragons than the rest of the group. But that wasn't what he found familiar. It was the scent of…someone he knew well.

"…and that just about sums it up," Hiccup concluded.

The burly one smiled. "Hiccup, we were going to all do what you say anyway. You didn't really have to say all the rules about listening to you."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Alright Drago. Guess we better get started. C'mon Toothless."

_Wait, what are we doing?_

Before Hiccup could answer his murmur, Valka, the lady, held out her hand to him. "I've never seen a Night Fury," she awed. She was calm and focused. It wasn't because of the hand or the kind look in her eyes, it was because of the familiarity that Toothless extended his snout to her hand.

Hiccup smiled a bit. "He trusts you."

Valka smiled and knelt down so she and Toothless were eye-level. She scratched behind his ears. Toothless hummed. _Oh yeah, that's the spot…wait no! I don't trust you yet! _He jerked his head away.

"Good," Drago congratulated dryly. "Valka's making progress. Let's go already. We keep our dragons on the other side of the island. It's about a miles' walk."

Tootless trailed Valka and Hiccup, who were leading the pack of Vikings. Toothless took pride in himself. Drago was behind him and every chance to dodge Toothless was destroyed by the Night Fury. Ha Ha! Annoying humans was fun!

Yet, Toothless overheard the almost inaudible conversation Valka was having with Hiccup, and his protective instincts exploded inside of him.

"I know you don't trust us," she started, "but you can trust me."

"Why?"

"I didn't learn how to gain trust from a dragon by holding out my hand to it from your long and boring speech. I learned it ten years ago."

Hiccup eyed her. "Then why do you need me?"

"Because Drago can't know that I know how to train the dragons."

"Why?"

Valka took a half second glance behind her. "All in due time, I'll tell you."

Toothless snorted and poked his head between Valka and Hiccup. Toothless didn't know why Valka knew how to tame him, or why her scent was familiar, or why she mixed herself up with these people, but he did know one thing. It was the one thing he knew since that day when their forbidden friendship kindled.

He would never ever let anyone touch his rider. Ever. Anyone that came close and wasn't welcome would be fried.

These Vikings were no exception.

* * *

_Thanks also to berksgrapevine (google it) for posting information that I wouldn't get on my own and to inhonoredglory: you deserve a place on the creative team for this movie and to meet Cressida Cowell! _

_Thank you for reading!_


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